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Master Of None (Episode 4)

Even in the opening of this episode with the scenes of Indian portrayal, I cannot be sure that if watching those scenes aimlessly that I would consciously realize that a lot of those actors are not the race they are portraying. I’ve heard of black face and yellow face many times. But these concepts in present time have not been so closely related to me. Apparently, they have become reincarnated in a different way with ingrained stereotypes. These things have been around for a long time but it almost seems like they are ingrained in media portrayal with the new blast of media. So much so, that when watching something with this stereotypical portrayal of a race with an actor of a different race could go unnoticed. Now that may just be me almost unconsciously watching movies and television, but it really does seem like stereotypes are so engrained in media that some may go unnoticed or in better terms maybe un-protested, at least in one’s mind. Aziz does such a great job at showing how absurd media portrayals are of certain races like his own and how the media business’ view on these races is so crazy especially when he says that there can’t be two Indians in a show because it’d be an “Indian show.” It’s so funny how he gets these ideas across which just makes it that much more easy to actually be able to laugh at the fact it’s actually true even though in reality these ideas are real.

Directly following those clips is the audition for a taxi driver. These scenes are comical because the absurdness of them. They are number one auditioning for a taxi driver which is stereotypical. Also the fact that the actors are told to do an Indian accent when they are Indian is just ironically… I don’t even know the words. If someone is Indian, they do not need a fake accent to be Indian because by definition, they are Indian with or without an accent. It would be different if they already had an accent, but since they don’t, why is it needed to show the character is Indian? It just brings up the issue of insane stereotypes in the media with races other than caucasian in America.

Also, the scene when Ravi realizes one of his favorite “Indian” actors isn’t Indian really demonstrates how media’s portrayal of race is so influential on audiences. It connects to the concept that people believe what they see in the media. When someone is not familiar with a race and they see a character on television or in the movies that is of this race, they believe that what they see exemplifies how that race acts, what they wear, etc. Unfortunately, the media is swimming with stereotypes and because of this, the conception people get of certain races is often exaggerated and overall misleading. The scene is of course comical but it touches on the fact that it isn’t even always a differing race that uses the media to seek information about race. Even those of the same race as the exemplary race in the media can use what they see as the standard of their own race. Or in this case, the media even tricks those of the same race as a certain character fooled. Even though the show is an exaggerated form of this idea, I am sure this has happened in real life with many people.

Overall, the show is revolutionarily comical and real and I’m excited to continue to follow during the rest of the season.